Topic 17 – Location is space: place, direction and distance

Topic 17 – Location is space: place, direction and distance

Most words expressing position are prepositions and adverbs (here, there, somewhere…)

The following diagram indicates relations of meaning between prepositions of place:

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE

DESTINATION

POSITION

DESTINATION

POSITION

POINT at type

To

At

(away) from

Away from

LINE OR SURFACE on type

On (to)

On

Off

Off

AREA OR VOLUME in type

In (to)

In

Out of

Out of

In general, prepositional phrases of position accompany verbs of stative meaning, and prepositional phrases of destination accompany verbs of dynamic meaning.

AT TYPE

“at” is vaguely geographical, a mere point in the space. We make no reference to the place in terms of length, width or height, but identify it quite generally.

To the office, at the door, away from the village.

ON TYPE

The place is thought in terms of length (on a line). Breadth or depth are not relevant.

On the road, off the ladder, across the road, off the coast, along the riverside.

On is also possible when the place is considered as a surface. Depth is not relevant.

On the floor, off the shelf, across the park, on the door, through the window.

IN TYPE

“in” can be used when the area is enclosed or bordered.

In the park, out of the house, out of their country, through the park.

Or when the place is three dimensional, it has got volume.

In my pocket, in her handbag, out of the building.

OVERLAP BETwEEN TYPES OF PREPOSITIONS

AT / IN

For towns and villages, both can be used. At London means we see the city as a place on the map. In London means that we see the city as a physical place. Continents use the preposition in, and small areas (street, square, room) tend to use at.

AT / TO

At is used when the object is seen as a target (the ball at me).

ON / IN

The child is on the grass (short grass).

RELATIVE POSITION

Prepositions may express the relative positions of two objects or groups of objects.

The following diagrams shows this relations:

Above * by, beside

Over

On top of * between *

………………………. behind in front of

Under

Below ********

Underneath * among *

Beneath **********

Over and under tend to indicate a direct vertical relationship and spatial proximity. Above and below may indicate “in a higher / lower level than”.

Between can relate to more than two elements if we specify these elements:

Between the houses of Mary, Peter, and Thomas.

OTHER PLACE RELATIONS

MOTION

The following diagram illustrates motion relations expressed by prepositions:

……………………………………………………> through

….> towards…….>into ….> along …….> out of ………> away from

PASSAGE

With verbs of motion prepositions may express movement towards, then away from a place.

He jumped over the fence

They drove past the cinema

He walked across the grass

It came through the window

MOVEMENT WITH DIRECTION

With verbs of motion, prepositions can express movement along an axis or path.

Up down along across, round the hill, the block, the street

REPEATED MOTION

If two prepositions are linked by AND, they can express repeated motion:

Up and down the street

ORIENTATION

Prepositions can express the position of a place in relation to the speake

Beyond the lake

RESULTATIVE MEANING

Combinated with the verb be, indicating that a destination have been reached:

They are already across the border.

PERVASIVE MEANING

Throughout is the only preposition whose meaning is pervasive. Other prepositions, combined with “all” can have pervasive meaning:

Throughout the field, all over the field, all through the film

ABSTRACT PLACE MEANING

Prepositions can be used metaphorically:

In danger, below the average, under suspicion, under arrest, between you and me…

CO-OCURRENCE RESTRICTIONS ON PLACE ADJUNCTS

Hierarchical relationship:

Two position adjuncts can co-occur but only the one denoting the larger place can take initial position:

In Spain, most people have breakfast at home.

If two directions adjuncts are together in the same sentence, they should follow the order of events described:

He went across the park into his house.

CLAUSES OF PLACE

They are introduced by where or wherever.